News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-12-08


porous colonial merchant in his day
but at the age of fifty-five he encoun
tered a succession of misfortune.
which ultimately landed him in the
Bankruptcy Court. When that crisis
was past he went to live in small hous,
at Hammersmith with his wife, hi
younger son Ephraim, and one servant
Not long after his wife died, and thi.
last blow reduced the old man to a com
plete wreck. He became childish, anG
lost his memory so completely that he
had no recollection of ordinary events
from day to day, which was, perhaps g
merciful dispensation of Providence
after all.
Ephraim Stuckey was the master Of
the house, though the house itself be-
longed to the father, having been pur-
chased with some money of Mrs.
Stuckeys. Ephraim was stockbroker
IN a small way of business, which might
have been larger if Ephraim himself
had been fonder of work, aDd had COM
blned little more greediness for the
commissions of clients with a little less
faith in grand speculative coups ON his
own account. He was addicted to
grumbEng at the hardships of his lot,
and more particularly at the burden of
keeping ''the old man. as he called his
father. This, however, was as unreas-
enable as it was undutiful, for not only
was Ephraim living rent-free in his
fathers house, but old Mr.. Stuckey's
maintenance was fully provided for by
the elder son, Alfred. Alfred, in his
fathers palmy days, had been put into
the Church. He was now curate in a |
"
stipend of goo a year, out of which he
contributed ESQ a year to his fathers
support-quite enough to leave a mar
gin of profit for Ephraim. If any one,
therefore, had reason to grumble at the
prolongation of the fathers life it was
Alfred. 1t must be mentioned, how
ever, that there was one small expecta-
ton for both the sons unon their faith |
er's death. Martin Stuckey's life had |
been insured in better days for 5000, |
and the premiums upon the policy had
been kept up by the joint contributions
of the two young men. But Mr.. Stuckey
showed no immediate likelihood of en-
abling his sons to realize this invest
ment. Since the breakdown of his mind
his bodily health had much improved,
as not unfrequently happens in such
of kind to cause anxiety. There had
been at one a question between the
brothers about providing him with an
but Ephraim was opposed to
expense, and pointed out
that the old gentleman never left the
house unless by invitation, and that,
while within doors, he was perfectly
under the control of those about him,
including even the one maidservant of
the establishment-at Trustworthy young
who had been with the family
for some years. The truth was that the
old gentleman was so submissive that,
if so ordered, he would remain in one
room for hours together, and under !
these circumstances IL really seemed
that Ephraim and the maid were quite
capable of looking after him. This idea ,
however, turned out to be erroneous.
The Rev. Alfred Stuckey did not {
often visit London, but when he did so ,
ne always endeavored TO spend day :
with his father. On such occasions he
would generally take the old gentleman I
but with him for the day, protesting to
-hink that he was too much confined to
he house. One day, about the middle ,
If October, Ephraim Stuckey informed ,
he maid-servant that his brother was
coming to town, and added that, if
Alfred should take his father ont, as he
sometimes did, she had better take a
lays holiday.
In due course the Rev. Alfred arrived
md, after spending a night at the
house, he said that he would take his
ather by steamboat to Richmond for
5he day. The maid was accordingly in
formed that she could have her prom
sed holiday. Then, however, diff
Guilty arose. The girl wished to go some
distance and could not be back before s
o'clock in the evening. Alfred, on the
other hand, had no intention of keeping
his father out till that hour, and besides
this, he had to return that night to his
parish, for which purpose he must leave
st. Pancras station at about 7 o'clock.
Who, then, was to take charge of old
Mr.. Stuckey in the interval!
''I dare say [ can get home, said
Ephraim. "What time will you re-
turn 2"
'eThat depends on father. Not later
than o'clock in any case. As / have
to be Mt St Pancras by 7, shall leave
here before $50"
81 think / can manage to be back by |
that time" said Ephraim, ''and there IS
no harm in leaving the governor for
half an hour by himself. If am not
here when you return put him into that
armchair, give him his pipe, and tell
him in your most impressive voice that |
he is not to stir On any account till L
come in"
care you sure that he will be all
right?" ii
E'Perfectly. He would not move If
the house were on fire.
With this understanding the parties
separted.
Tt was between $50 and 9 p. m. on
the same day when Mr.. Ephraim
Stuckey presented himself at Hammer
smith Police Station and asked for
assistance. He made at the same time
a stat ement from which, in addition to
the above facts, it appeared that in con-
sequence of business unexpectedly de- |
tanning him in town. he had not reached |
home until close upon 7 o'clock. He |
then found no trace of his father or of
his brother, and, after waiting for the
return of the servant and making in |
duiries about the neighborhood, he had |
come to the conclusion that on being |
left alone his father had, for the first |
time ON record, taken it into his head to